UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA 

COLLEGE    OF    AGRICULTURE 

AGRICULTURAL    EXPERIMENT    STATION 

BERKELEY,    CALIFORNIA 

CIRCULAR  286 
May,  1925 

MILK  HOUSES 

FOR 

CALIFORNIA    DAIRIES 

By  H.  L.  BELTON  and  J.  D.  LONG* 


■■ 


WELL    LOCATED    MILK    HOUSE 


A  25  ft.  by  25  ft.  tile  block  house  with  stucco  exterior.     Straining  room  con- 
nected with  milking  barn.     Used  for  a  herd  of  80  cows. 


This  circular  on  milk  house  construction  is  prepared  with  the 
thought  of  showing  how  the  dairyman  may  construct  such  a  building 
at  a  reasonable  expenditure  of  capital  with  the  assurance  that  the  prob- 
able life  of  the  building  will  be  as  great  as  is  consistent  with  the  type 
of  construction  and  the  materials  indicated.    All  plans  show  concrete 


*  The  authors  wish  to  acknowledge  the  services  rendered  in  the  preparation 
of  this  circular  by  Dr.  C.  L.  Itoadhouse  and  Professor  G.  D.  Turnbow  of  the 
Division  of  Dairy  Industry,  and  Dr.  J.  J.  Frey  of  the  State  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 


Z  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

floor  and  splash  base,  with  wood  framing  and  roof,  as  such  con- 
struction at  the  present  time  requires  the  smallest  initial  expenditure 
consistent  with  good  construction  practice.  Concrete,  tile,  or  stone, 
however,  may  well  be  used  in  place  of  the  wood  with  the  assurance 
that  good  construction  of  this  type  will  give  greater  satisfaction  in 
the  matters  of  sanitation,  temperature  regulation,  cost  of  upkeep  and 
length  of  life.    Such  construction  also  lowers  the  fire  hazard. 

Certain  items  of  built-in  equipment  are  included  in  this  publica- 
tion as  worthy  of  consideration  at  the  time  of  erecting  the  house. 
The  prospective  builder  should  make  certain  to  plan  a  house  large 
enough  to  care  for  possible  growth  in  the  immediate  future  and  to 
include  such  built-in  equipment  as  may  be  needed  in  a  size  sufficient 
to  care  for  the  milk  then  produced. 

Dairying  in  California  has  an  assured  future.  Equipment  for 
engaging  in  such  a  stable  industry  should  be  such  as  will  enable  the 
dairyman  to  produce  the  product  of  the  highest  quality  practicable. 
Well-built,  sanitary  and  labor  saving  buildings  and  equipment  not 
only  save  money  in  depreciation  and  labor,  but  make  the  work  more 
attractive.  Such  a  dairy  layout  not  only  is  a  source  of  pride  to  the 
owner  but  promises  a  definite  financial  return  from  the  favorable 
rating  of  the  dairy  inspector. 

REQUIREMENTS   OF   THE    STATE    DAIRY   LAW 

The  legal  definition  of  a  dairy  according  to  'Special  Publication 
No.  26" — "Important  Provisions  of  the  California  Dairy  Laws," 
published  by  the  State  Department  of  Agriculture,  is  as  follows: 
"Two  or  more  cows  in  full  lactation,  or  freshening  within  four 
months  of  each  other,  and  producing  milk  or  cream  sold  to  the  public, 
constitute  a  commercial  dairy. ' ' 

The  same  publication  summarizes  the  provisions  of  the  state  dairy 
law  as  follows:  "These  provisions  of  the  law  may  almost  be  sum- 
marized in  the  two  words  'Be  Clean.'  It  provides  (a)  that  the 
drinking  water  be  clean;  (&)  that  the  yards  be  clean;  (/)  that  the 
walls  be  clean;  (g)  that  the  barns  be  clean;  (h)  that  the  milk  con- 
tainers be  clean;  (i)  that  the  milkman  himself  be  clean.  It  requires 
further  that  a  Milk  House,  separate  from  the  barns  and  dwelling 
houses,  properly  screened  and  used  for  no  other  purpose,  shall  be  pro- 
vided. Premises  liable  to  become  dirty,  like  pigpens  or  chicken  houses, 
must  be  at  least  100  feet  away  from  the  milk  house,  but  the  milk  house 
may  be  very  close  to  the  cow  barn  if  the  barn  is  kept  clean.    A  man 


CIRC.  286]  MILK   HOUSES  FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES  3 

is  not  required  by  the  state  law  to  have  a  barn,  but  if  he  does  have 
one,  he  must  keep  it  clean  and  he  must  not  keep  his  milk  in  it.  Also 
he  should  keep  the  manure  at  least  50  feet  away  from  the  barn  and 
outside  of  corrals.  If  milking  is  done  in  the  corral,  then  the  corral 
must  be  kept  clean  and  the  accumulation  of  manure  must  be  kept 
at  least  50  feet  away." 

Certain  city  boards  of  health  are  more  specific  as  to  the  actual 
construction  of  the  milk  house — as  to  how  high  concrete  shall  extend 
up  the  side  wall,  how  the  interior  of  the  milk  room  shall  be  finished, 
and  what  rooms  and  equipment  shall  be  provided.  It  has  not  seemed 
practicable  to  attempt  to  fulfill  all  these  requirements  in  any  one  plan 
in  this  circular.  In  case  a  plan  such  as  any  appearing  in  this  circular 
is  decided  upon  for  construction,  it  would  be  advisable  to  consult  with 
the  inspector  or  city  health  officer  before  construction  is  started,  to 
make  certain  that  the  plan  will  meet  the  requirements  for  the  district 
and  for  the  grade  of  product  to  be  sold. 

LOCATION 

As  already  stated,  the  milk  house  may  be  close  to  the  milking  barn 
but  must  be  at  a  minimum  distance  of  100  feet  from  nuisances,  such 
as  stagnant  water  and  accumulations  of  manure  or  other  filth.  An 
enclosed  passage  way  or  corridor  may  connect  the  milking  barn  and 
milk  house  under  certain  conditions.  These  conditions  according  to 
the  regulations  of  one  city  are :  ' '  The  milk  room  may  be  under  the 
same  roof  as  the  milking  barn,  but  must  be  apart  therefrom,  separated 
by  a  clean  ventilated  room  or  passageway  at  least  four  feet  long  and 
four  feet  wide,  with  door  kept  closed  by  springs."  The  state  dairy 
law  specifically  states  that  the  milk  house  must  not  be  constructed 
as  a  part  of  any  other  building,  except  as  it  may  be  connected  to  the 
milking  barn.  The  milk  house  should  be  placed,  if  possible,  on  the 
windward  side  of  the  barn  where  dust  or  odors  will  not  readily  reach 
it  and  where  prevailing  winds  will  tend  to  keep  the  doors  free  from 
flies. 

Other  factors  to  be  considered  in  the  location  are  drainage  and 
ease  of  loading.  The  site  should  be  well  drained,  higher  than  its 
surroundings  if  possible,  and  with  drainage  from  milk  house  to  milk- 
ing barn,  rather  than  vice  versa.  Placing  the  milk  house  close  to 
the  driveway  where  cans  may  be  readily  loaded  or  discharged  will 
facilitate  handling. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


SIZE   AND   ARRANGEMENT 

The  best  size  for  the  milk  house  depends  upon  several  factors, 
chiefly,  however,  the  size  of  the  herd ;  that  is,  the  amount  of  produce 
to  be  handled,  the  methods  of  caring  for  the  milk,  the  machines  and 
equipment  required,  and  the  manner  of  marketing — as  cream,  bulk 
or  bottled  milk.  Perhaps  the  best  general  directions  that  can  be 
given  as  to  size  are  to  provide  sufficient  space  for  the  cooling  vat 
or  refrigeration,  and  for  storage  of  cans  and  pails,  and  at  the  same 
time  insure  sufficient  working  room. 

The  number  and  arrangement  of  the  rooms  depend  upon  practi- 
cally the  same  considerations  as  the  size.  Except  for  a  small  dairy, 
producing  cream,  at  least  two  rooms  should  be  provided  in  the  milk 
house,  one  for  handling  the  milk  from  the  cow  to  the  market  con- 
tainer and  the  other  for  washing  and  sterilizing  the  equipment.  Addi- 
tional rooms  may  be  provided  to  meet  individual  needs,  such  as  rooms 
for  mechanical  refrigeration  machinery,  ice  box,  straining  vestibule, 
and  office. 

No  rooms  should  be  provided  for  human  occupation  as  toilets  or 
sleeping  rooms,  as  they  are  unsanitary  and  are  deemed  nuisances  by 
the  law.  This,  however,  does  not  prohibit  a  wash  basin  such  as  may 
be  placed  in  the  wash  room  or  straining  vestibule  where  the  milker 
may  wash  his  hands  after  milking  each  cow. 

In  planning,  care  should  be  taken  to  make  certain  that  the  house 
is  large  enough  to  care  for  a  normal  increase  of  the  herd  and  that 
any  likely  changes  in  the  methods  of  handling  the  product  can  be 
provided  for  enonomically. 


CONSTRUCTION 

Foundation  and  Floor. — Concrete  makes  an  ideal  material  for  the 
foundation  and  floor  of  the  milk  house,  because  it  can  be  readily  given 
any  form  desired,  is  not  affected  by  the  milk  which  may  be  spilled 
upon  it,  can  be  easily  flushed  off  when  properly  sloped,  and  is  per- 
manent. As  it  is  nearly  always  required  as  a  flooring  by  city  boards 
of  health,  all  of  the  plans  given  here  make  use  of  it.* 

Two  general  methods  of  constructing  foundation  footings  and  side 
wall  forms  are  shown  in  figures  1  and  2.  Footings  of  the  type  of 
figure  1  may  prove  somewhat  easier  to  construct  in  loose  soil.     Less 


*  Valuable  suggestions  regarding  the  use  of  concrete  may  be  secured  from  the 
Portland  Cement  Association,  785  Market  street,  San  Francisco. 


Circ.  286] 


MILK   HOUSES   FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES 


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b  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT   STATION 

lumber  and  labor  are  necessary  in  the  type  of  figure  2;  less  concrete 
also  is  required  for  the  same  effective  base  area.  Either  footing  should 
extend  down  to  solid  ground  or  be  broadened  at  the  base  to  obtain 
greater  bearing  power.  In  regions  subject  to  extreme  cold  weather 
the  concrete  should  extend  below  the  frost  line. 

Concrete  blocks,  tile  blocks,  or  brick  also  make  satisfactory  foun- 
dations when  correctly  laid. 

Door  openings  should  be  left  in  the  concrete  side  wall.  Some  pro- 
vision must  be  made,  such  as  that  shown  in  figure  3,  for  fastening  the 
door  jamb  where  a  high  concrete  side  wall  is  used. 

For  milk  house  construction  all  floors  should  be  laid  on  a  well 
drained  surface  at  an  elevation  of  at  least  four  inches  above  the 
ground  level.  If  a  dirt  fill  is  necessary,  it  should  be  thoroughly 
puddled  and  tamped  to  grade  before  the  floor  is  laid.  For  two  course 
work  the  first  or  base  course  should  be  3"  to  Z1/^'  thick,  the  top  on  fin- 
ishing course  %"  to  %"  thick.  Care  should  be  taken  to  obtain  tight 
joints  between  the  floor  and  walls  by  having  the  finishing  course  of 
the  floor  well  rounded  into  the  wall.  This  avoids  sharp  corners  and 
facilitates  cleaning.  Sufficient  slope  should  be  given  to  the  floor  to 
insure  good  drainage.  One-quarter  inch  to  the  foot  is  considered 
sufficient,  provided  an  area  of  18"  to  24"  in  diameter  about  the  floor 
drain  trap  is  given  a  greater  slope  to  quicken  the  flow  of  water  at 
this  point.  Floor  drain  traps  should  be  in  a  convenient  location, 
but  not  so  placed  as  to  inconvenience  the  attendant  working  about 
the  milk  house.  All  markings  in  the  floor  should  be  in  the  direction 
of  the  slope,  if  possible. 

If  engines  or  heavy  machinery  requiring  bases  heavier  than  the 
floor  are  to  be  used,  the  extra  concrete  should  be  poured  and  the  bolts 
set  at  the  time  of  pouring  the  floor,  or  space  should  be  blocked  out 
to  receive  the  bases  later.  All  sink,  cooling  vat  and  floor  drain  traps, 
supply  pipes,  drains,  and  bolts  which  are  partly  or  wholly  imbedded 
in  the  concrete  should  be  installed  in  the  proper  place  before  the 
concrete  is  poured. 

Walls. — For  a  small  dairy  herd  where  the  produce  is  handled  as 
cream  or  whole  milk,  walls  constructed  in  a  way  similar  to  that  shown 
in  figure  4  (A)  are  recommended.  This  consists  of  flooring  laid 
vertically,  face  side  in,  over  a  light  but  substantial  frame  constructed 
of  material  surfaced  on  four  sides.  This  makes  a  very  satisfactory 
interior.  All  sills  should  be  firmly  imbedded  in  mortar  and  bolted 
securely  to  the  concrete  wall.  A  neatly  trimmed  mortar  joint  will 
prevent  moisture  from  collecting  under  the  sills. 


Circ.  286] 


MILK   HOUSES  FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES 


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s 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


Construction  similar  to  figure  4  (B)  is  recommended  when  the 
interior  of  the  milk  room  is  ceiled  with  wood.  All  inside  sheathing 
should  be  of  well  seasoned  lumber  with  tongue  and  groove  joints. 
Door  and  window  casings,  wainscot  cap  and  other  interior  finish 
should  be  of  plain  surfaced  stock  preferably  with  rounded  edges. 


Fig.  3. — Typical  framing  for  small  houses.     Method  of  bracing  and  of  bolting 
sill  and  door  jamb  to  wall. 


Projecting  mouldings  and  casings  for  the  house  interior  are  dirt 
catchers  and  should  be  avoided  where  possible.  For  larger  milk 
houses,  with  cement  stucco  or  horizontal  sheathing  outside  and  cement 
plaster  inside,  construction  similar  to  figure  4   (C)  is  recommended. 


Circ.  286] 


MILK   HOUSES   FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES 


Roof. — A  shed  roof  which  is  the  least  expensive  is  recommended 
for  the  smaller  milk  houses.  The  rafters  and  roof  sheathing  should 
be  surfaced  to  facilitate  interior  cleanliness  and  painting.  Prepared 
roofing  of  good  quality  wears  well  on  a  shed  roof  with  a  slight  slope. 
It  should  be  laid  with  the  strips  running  up  and  down  the  slope  of 


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thickness    of 
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Fig.  4. — Typical  wall  sections.     Footings  in  A  and  C  formed  as  by  methods 
of  Fig.  1 ;   footing  in  B  formed  by  method  of  Fig.  2. 


the  roof.  All  joints  in  the  roofing  should  be  thoroughly  tarred  and 
nailed  and  all  ends  carefully  lapped  over  the  facia  boards  and  bat- 
tened to  prevent  a  strong  wind  from  lifting  the  roofing.  Prepared 
roofing  is  more  durable  if  painted  every  second  year  with  asphalt 
paint  of  a  good  quality. 

Common  pitch  gable  roofs  are  recommended  for  the  larger  milk 
houses.  Shingles  may  well  be  used  when  the  roof  pitch  is  adequate 
to  carry  off  the  storm  waters.  A  wood  or  plaster  ceiling. at  a  height 
equal  to  the  height  of  the  side  wall  is  recommended  for  milk  houses 
with  gable  roofs. 


10 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


Doors  and  Windows. — There  should  be  as  few  outside  doors  as 
possible  in  order  to  limit  the  cost  of  construction  and  the  entrance 
of  flies.  For  the  latter  reason  it  is  usually  best  to  have  no  outside 
entrance  into  the  milk  room  but  to  enter  it  from  a  vestibule  or  the 
wash  room.  All  outside  screen  doors  and  doors  leading  into  the  milk 
room  should  swing  out,  in  order  to  prevent  flies  from  entering  with 
the  attendant.  This  applies  especially  to  the  door  to  the  straining 
vestibule,  which  should  be  placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  steps  leading 
to  the  platform. 


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Fig.  5. — Detail  of  typical  ceiling  ventilator.     Dimensions  given  for  length 
and  width  of  opening  are  for  installations  of  average  size. 

Milk  houses  should  have  plenty  of  sunlight  where  possible.  Win- 
dow glass  surface  equivalent  to  ten  per  cent  of  the  floor  area  is 
recommended.  Counter-balanced  double  hung  windows  are  recom- 
mended so  that  outside  screens  will  not  interfere  with  opening  and 
closing  the  windows.  All  window  screens  should  be  hinged  at  the 
sides  (not  hung  from  the  top)  so  that  flies  may  be  brushed  out  readily. 

Door  knobs  and  similar  fittings  should  be  porcelain  or  china,  if 
possible.    Such  materials  are  cheap  and  are  not  affected  by  moisture. 

Painting.— All  outside  woodwork  should  be  painted  with  oil  paint 
of  good  quality,  to  preserve  the  wood  and  make  the  building  neat. 
The  color  may  accord  with  that  of  the  other  farm  buildings  or  may 
be  white  to  promote  cleanliness.  Whitewash  may  be  used  but  it  does 
not  preserve  the  wood.    Stucco  makes  a  very  attractive  exterior. 

For  the  interior  covering  a  hard  plaster  finish  of  Portland  cement 
or  painting  the  surfaced  wood  sheathing  with  a  white,  washable  paint 
is  recommended. 


CIRC.  28G]  MIIjK   HOUSES   FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES  11 


VENTILATION,    ELECTRIC   WIRING,   PLUMBING,   AND   DRAINAGE 

Steam  and  water  are  liable  to  make  the  milk  house  (lamp  and 
hasten  deterioration.  Odors  are  likely  to  arise  from  spilled  milk. 
Weather  conditions  in  California  are  such  that  window  and  door 
openings  properly  arranged  will  provide  a  cross  circulation  of  air 
for  ventilation  and  will  keep  the  interior  of  the  milk  house  dry.  In 
large  milk  houses  it  is  usually  advisable  to  have  a  central  opening 
in  the  ceiling  leading  to  a  roof  ventilator  in  both  wash  and  milk 
rooms.  Stock  commercial  ventilators  are  very  satisfactory.  A  built- 
in  ventilator  is  shown  in  figure  5.  Screened  openings  approximately 
6  inches  by  14  inches  through  the  outside  wall  and  3  inches  above  the 
floor  assist  in  keeping  the  floor  dry. 

Electric  Wiring. — The  house  should  be  wired  to  provide  light  in 
each  room.  This  should  be  done  by  someone  who  understands  electric 
wiring.  One  central  ceiling  fixture  in  each  room  will  ordinarily  be 
sufficient.  A  R.L.M.  standard  dome  reflector  and  porcelain  fittings 
are  recommended  for  the  severe  moisture  conditions  of  the  milk  house. 
To  escape  the  danger  of  shorting  through  the  bulb  or  key,  the  light 
should  be  controlled  only  by  a  switch  placed  on  the  side  wall  handy 
to  a  doorway.  The  ceiling  fixtures  should  be  fitted  with  keyless 
sockets.  Especial  attention  should  be  given  to  these  points,  as  the 
wet  floors  and  moist  atmosphere  provide  conditions  favorable  to 
severe  electric  shocks. 

Plumbing. — Running  water  in  abundance  should  be  provided  in 
the  milk  house  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  house  and  utensils 
clean  and  the  milk  cool.  At  least  one  faucet  should  be  provided  in 
each  room  and  hot  water  outlets  from  the  boiler  should  be  conven- 
iently placed. 

Similarly,  drains  should  be  provided  to  carry  away  surplus  water, 
which  should  never  be  permitted  to  stand  on  the  floor.  All  floor 
drains  should  be  provided  with  bell  traps  such  as  that  shown  in  figure 
6  and  all  sinks,  with  the  customary  "S"  traps. 

Care  should  be  taken  in  planning  the  plumbing  to  keep  the  pipes 
and  drain  tile  as  accessible  as  possible.  If  water  pipes  are  hung  on 
the  walls  and  drain  pipes  run  the  shortest  possible  distance  under  the 
floor  or  foundation,  much  trouble  may  be  avoided. 

Drainage. — The  milk  house  should  be  provided  with  a  proper 
means  of  waste  disposal.  Milky  water  swept  out  of  the  milk  house 
attracts  flies  and  gives  rise  to  disagreeable  odors. 

Waste  from  the  floor  traps  and  fixtures  should  be  carried  away 
from  the  milk  house  in  a  four  or  six  inch  pipe  line,  the  first  twenty 


12 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


feet  of  which  should  be  of  sewer  tile  laid  with  tightly  cemented  joints 
on  a  grade  of  one-fourth  inch  to  the  foot.  Local  conditions  govern 
the  method  of  disposing  of  the  waste  from  the  milk  house.  The  dis- 
posal line  may  be  extended  to  the  irrigation  pipe  line  and  the  effluent 
flushed  over  the  land  at  intervals  of  irrigation.  It  should  not,  how- 
ever, be  allowed  to  stand  in  an  open  irrigation  ditch.  Where  soil 
conditions  are  such  that  good  drainage  is  possible,  four-inch  standard 
drain  tile  is  recommended  laid  with  joints  abutting  and  covered  on 
top  with  burlap  or  tar  paper  to  keep  out  loose  earth.  The  arrange- 
ment of  the  tile  after  the  first  twenty  feet  of  the  line  may  be  in  the 

<5lope>    or    floor   quickened 
at  drain  To   accelerate     flow 


\ 


Water  seal 
Dirt  pit 
0  o 

o 


Fig.  6. — Cast  iron  cesspool  with  bell  trap  for  floor  drain.  Such  a  trap  is 
necessary  to  prevent  dirt  from  entering  the  drain  and  odors  from  the  drain  enter- 
ing the  house.  The  bell  of  the  seAver  tile  is  chipped  off  to  fit  snugly  against  the 
cesspool.  The  bell  end  of  the  sewer  tile  joint  should  always  be  placed  towards 
the  source  of  the  flow. 

form  of  a  three  or  four  tined  pitchfork  to  conserve  space  and  assist, 
if  desirable,  in  subsurface  irrigation.  The  disposal  line  should  have 
a  fall  of  one  inch  to  fifty  feet  and  no  one  branch  of  the  line  should 
be  longer  than  100  feet.* 

Under  certain  conditions  the  drain  line  may  extend  directly  to 
a  dug  cesspool  into  which  the  liquid  may  be  discharged,  provided  the 
seepage  from  the  cesspool  does  not  contaminate  the  supply  of  drink- 
ing water.  A  septic  tank  with  open  joint  tile  may  be  used  for  the 
disposal  of  the  milk  house  wastes.  Ordinarily  it  is  not  advisable  to 
run  the  milk  house  disposal  line  to  the  residence  septic  tank. 


See  University  of  California  Circular  No.  270,  "A  Farm  Septic  Tank. 


CIRC.  286]  MILK   HOUSES   FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES  13 


OUTSIDE    STRAINING    PLATFORM    OR    VESTIBULE 

By  the  use  of  the  outside  straining  vat,  the  milk  room  may  be 
kept  more  sanitary,  less  trouble  will  be  had  with  flies,  and  a  consider- 
able saving  will  be  made  in  labor.  The  straining  vat  which  leads 
through  the  wall  to  the  cooler  or  separator  in  the  milk  room  is  raised 
to  a  sufficient  height  to  deliver  the  milk  by  gravity  through  the  cooler 
or  to  a  series  of  machines.  Its  height  depends  entirely  upon  the 
machinery  to  which  the  milk  is  delivered.  A  platform  is  ordinarily 
required  under  the  vat  to  give  the  latter  the  desired  height  without 
necessitating  an  extreme  lift  to  the  straining  vat.  In  order  to  save 
steps  for  the  milker,  the  straining  platform  should  be  in  the  side  of 
the  milk  room  handiest  to  the  milking  barn. 

Concrete  platform  and  steps  are  recommended.  They  should  be 
properly  sloped  for  drainage  to  a  floor  trap.  The  concrete  side  wall 
next  to  the  steps  and  platform  should  be  carried  up  to  twelve  or  fifteen 
inches  above  the  platform  to  protect  the  woodwork  of  the  outside 
wall.  It  should  be  formed  with  the  other  concrete  walls  and  poured 
at  the  same  time. 

It  is  preferable  to  enclose  the  straining  platform  with  materials 
similar  to  the  exterior  finish  of  the  milk  house  or  with  screens,  the 
door  being  placed  at  the  foot  of  the  steps  leading  to  the  straining  vat 
platform.  Some  city  health  authorities  require  all  new  houses  to  be 
so  constructed  that  the  vestibule  may  be  darkened  during  milking 
time. 

Unless  due  precautions  are  taken,  the  wall-opening  for  the  receiv- 
ing vat  may  become  a  very  unsanitary  feature  of  the  building.  The 
receiving  vat  will  have  a  spout  to  project  through  the  wall  of  the 
house  to  the  container  within  and  in  removing  the  vat  some  milk  is 
certain  to  drip  down  inside  the  wall  where  it  will  decay  and  rot  out 
the  wooden  frame.  Furthermore,  when  the  milk  is  poured  into  the 
vat,  some  of  it  may  spill  over  and  spatter  the  wall.  As  a  protective 
measure,  a  sheet  of  galvanized  iron  may  be  placed  against  the  outside 
sheathing  extending  down  to  the  concrete,  and  the  wall  hole  may  be 
fitted  with  a  three-inch  galvanized  iron  pipe  sloped  to  the  inside  and 
held  in  place  by  a  screw  flange  at  either  end.  As  a  precaution  against 
flies,  the  straining  vat  should  have  a  hinged  cover  which  should  be 
kept  closed  except  when  milk  is  being  poured  in  it.  Fig.  7  shows 
such  an  installation  with  typical  measurements  governing  the  height 
of  the  straining  platform. 


14 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


The  straining  vestibule  makes  a  good  place  for  the  keeping  of 
records  if  such  are  desired.  For  convenience  in  recording  weights, 
scales  and  record  sheet  may  be  placed  against  the  wall  near  the  vat. 


Hard    cement 
plaster   or    T  +  G 
floor  in  g    pain  te  of. 

Three    inch   galvanized 
pip&  oioped  lhr*U    wall 
with  -screw  flange    or 
either   e>nd. 


Galvanized    iro/\ 

•3  ft.   /ride    ben  in 

rat    to  project  s/d 

from  ^spattered  m) 


sheet- 
's training 
in >  7 


1         Z        3       4 


Fig.  7. — Section  through  front  of  shed  roof  house  showing  installation  of 
straining  vat.  Dimensions  of  equipment  are  but  indicative  of  dimensions  which 
should  be  ascertained  before  constructing  the  platform  and  installing  the  vat. 


CiRC.  286] 


MILK   HOUSES  FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES 


15 


REFRIGERATION 


Both  time  and  temperature  influence  the  development  of  the 
bacteria  which  produce  fermentation  and  thereby  cause  the  milk  to 
sour.  For  this  reason  it  should  be  cooled  as  soon  as  possible  after 
being  drawn  from  the  cow  and  should  be  held  at  as  low  a  tempera- 
ture as  practicable  until  it  is  delivered  to  the  consumer  or  to  the 
creamery. 

For  such  a  program  the  dairyman  must  utilize  some  mechanical 
cooling  device  such  as  the  tubular  or  the  hopper  cooler,  a  cold  storage 
such  as  a  cooling  vat  or  cold  room,  and  an  insulated  or  iced  conveyor 
to  market. 

The  mechanical  cooling  device  which  will  ordinarily  be  a  commer- 
cial product,  must  be  allotted  space  in  the  plan  for  the  milk  house. 
The  cold  storage  will  usually  be  built  into  the  milk  house.  The  choice 
between  the  cooling  vat  and  the  cold  storage  room  depends  upon  the 
amount  and  the  kind  of  product.  Special  considerations  such  as  the 
use  of  a  cold  spring  or  a  cheap  supply  of  ice  may  effect  the  choice 
of  the  type  of  cold  storage. 


corrugations    in    tonk^i 
bottom    to  permit  flow 
of  noter    under  conn 


^     ~~~*  Angle    iron   along  both    edges 
i       of    front    wall    of   var. 


Floor  slopes  to  drain 
*" in  JO." 


Fig.  8. — Section  showing  construction  of  concrete  cooling  vat.  Covers  of  two 
thicknesses  of  1"  X  6"  T  &  G  hinged  to  2"  X  4"  sill  at  back  and  overlapping  1" 
on  ends  and  front.  Covers  built  in  3'  or  4'  lengths  are  more  conveniently  handled. 
Keinforcing  of  heavy  hog  wire  fencing  or  %"  steel  bars  spaced  12"  each  way 
should  be  placed  in  walls  and  bottom  as  indicated  by  dotted  lines. 


Cooling  Vats. — Cooling  vats  are  tanks  in  which  cans  of  cream  or 
milk  may  be  surrounded  by  water — preferably  running  water  from 
well  or  spring — to  cool  and  hold  the  product  at  about  the  temperature 
of  the  water  or  in  cold  climates  to  protect  it  from  freezing.  It  is  not 
intended  to  take  the  place  of  the  initial  cooling  for  market  milk,  which 
should  be  given  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  milking.  Cream  placed 
in  the  cooling  vat  from  the  separator  without  the  initial  cooling 
should  be  stirred  at  intervals  for  two  or  three  hours  to  facilitate  the 
loss  of  the  animal  heat. 


16  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

In  most  places  in  California  water  cold  enough  to  hold  the  milk 
for  twelve  hours  without  an  appreciable  rise  in  bacterial  count  can 
be  secured  directly  from  a  well. 

For  the  simplest  and  yet  most  efficient  circulation  through  the  vat, 
the  inlet  pipe  running  direct  from  the  well  should  discharge  near  the 
bottom  and  at  one  end  of  the  vat,  and  the  overflow  drain  should  open 
near  the  top  of  the  vat  at  the  opposite  end.  In  this  way,  the  cold 
water  enters  at  the  bottom  and  rises  toward  the  top  as  it  takes  up 
the  heat  from  the  cans.  At  the  same  time  it  is  flowing  from  one  end 
of  the  vat  to  the  other  around  all  the  cans.  The  height  of  the  over- 
flow drain  should  be  adjusted  to  hold  the  level  of  the  water  to  within 
three  inches  of  the  top  of  the  cans.  Waste  water  from  the  cooling 
vat  may  be  drained  to  the  stock  watering  trough. 

In  some  installations  where  it  is  difficult  or  impossible  to  secure 
water  at  the  desired  temperature,  the  vat  is  filled  with  water  and  ice 
cakes  placed  in  it  among  the  cans.  Though  this  arrangement  provides 
one  solution  of  the  cooling  problem,  it  has  the  disadvantage  of  poor 
circulation — the  cream  is  not  cooled  evenly  without  intermittent 
sttirring  of  the  water  in  the  vat.  A  better  arrangement  is  to  have  a 
mechanical  system  wherein  water  is  pumped  over  ice  cakes  and  then 
through  the  vat,  affording  continuous  circulation. 

Figure  8  shows  the  construction  of  a  concrete  cooling  vat,  and 
table  1  gives  the  inside  dimensions  which  should  be  used  for  vats  of 
certain  capacities. 

TABLE  1 

Cooling  Vat;  Sizes  and  Capacities 

Number  of  10-gal. 

cans    1  2344C8  10 

Capacity  in  gal- 
lons         10  20  30  40  40  60  80  100 

Inside  dimensions 
of  vat  of  27" 
depth   20"x20"     20x36     20x54     20x72     36x36     36x54     36x72      36x84 

Dairies  requiring  greater  holding  capacity  than  100  gallons  should 
ordinarily  be  provided  with  refrigeration  rooms. 

Concrete  is  recommended,  as  the  vat  is  usually  set  in  the  ground 
twelve  inches  below  the  floor  of  the  house  to  decrease  the  lift  in 
handling  the  cans  to  and  from  the  vat. 

A  four-inch  wall  and  a  four  to  six  inch  bottom  of  concrete  will 
be  sufficient  for  the  vat.  Additional  strength  may  be  provided  by 
reinforcement  placed  around  the  corners  of  bottom  and  side  wall. 
The  concrete  may  be  made  watertight  by  using  a  1 :2  :3  mix  of  good 
materials,  properly  spaded  into  place. 


Circ.  28G] 


MILK   HOUSES  FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES 


17 


The  vat  may  be  provided  with  a  tight  wooden  cover  hinged  to  a 
sill  bolted  along  the  back  edge  of  the  vat.  Such  a  cover  will  tend  to 
hold  the  water  at  an  even  temperature.  As  shown  in  figure  8,  angle 
irons  set  in  the  concrete  on  both  corners  of  the  front  edge  will  protect 
the  concrete  from  chipping  off  as  the  cans  are  moved  into  or  out  of 
the  vat.  A  wooden  sill  may  be  bolted  along  the  front  edge  for  the 
same  purpose,  but  this  becomes  water  logged  and  fouled  with  spilled 
milk.  The  bottom  of  the  vat  should  be  formed  with  deep  corrugations 
in  the  concrete  or  should  be  provided  with  a  rack  to  afford  water 
circulation  under  the  cans.  With  some  plans  the  rear  and  end  walls 
may  be  poured  as  a  part  of  the  side  walls  of  the  building. 


Fig.  9. — Section  of  concrete  cooling  vat.  Device  shown  for  holding  partially 
filled  cans  in  the  vat.  The  eye  bolts  should  be  placed  in  rear  wall  of  vat  about 
21  inches  from  the  bottom  according  to  the  style  of  can  used.  Such  a  device  for 
holding  one  or  two  cans  submerged  will  be  found  a  convenience  readily  included 
in  any  vat  as  constructed. 


Some  means  should  be  provided  for  draining  and  cleaning  the  vat. 
A  ground-joint,  removable,  standing  overflow  plug  at  the  outlet  end 
will  be  a  great  convenience  in  this  respect.  Such  a  plug  is  shown  in 
figure  10.  The  height  of  the  overflow  may  be  adjusted  to  the  desired 
depth  of  water  about  the  cans  and  the  entire  vat  may  be  drained  by 
pulling  the  plug  from  the  fitting  set  in  the  concrete  bottom. 

Cold  Rooms. — For  economy  of  insulating  materials  and  in  dimin- 
ishing losses  through  wall  conduction,  the  cold  room  or  box  should 
be  made  as  small  as  practicable  to  care  for  the  amount  of  produce  to 
be  handled.  Refrigeration  space  may  be  desired  for  other  farm 
produce,  such  as  meat  and  eggs,  but  a  separate  box  is  recommended 
for  these  products  in  order  that  there  may  be  no  danger  of  contam- 
inating the  milk  or  other  dairy  products.  An  economy  may  be  effected 
by  constructing  the  two  boxes  together  with  a  tight  partition  wall 


18 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


which  is  not  insulated.  It  is  usually  preferable  to  have  an  outside 
door  into  the  meat  box  so  that  one  need  not  enter  through  the  milk 
house. 

The  design  of  the  cold  room  depends  to  some  extent  upon  whether 
the  refrigeration  is  secured  from  ice  or  from  mechanical  refrigeration. 
For  the  former  an  outside  icing  door  must  be  provided,  and  the  cold 


tk'ai   Pjpe> 
Overflow 


Bra<s*s    ■stopper 
(ground  joint) 

ing    vat    floor  r 


u 

Screw  flange 
to  bond  brass 
seat  in   concrete 

7C7 


l'z    Malleable 
iron    coupling 


l'z  C.I.  Pipe    to 
dram    tile 


Fig.  10. — Section  of  brass  standing  overflow  with  ground  joint  for  concrete 
cooling  vat.  The  G.I.  (galvanized  iron)  pipe  below  the  fitting  drains  into  the 
sewer  tile  line  from  the  floor  drain.  The  overflow  pipe  above  rises  to  the  desired 
height  of  the  water  about  the  cans. 


room  increased  in  size  to  accommodate  the  ice  bunker.  For  the  latter, 
coils  may  be  hung  on  the  walls  or  ceiling,  but  the  cold  room  must  be 
located  as  near  as  possible  to  the  refrigerating  machinery  in  the 
machine  room. 


Circ.  286] 


MILK   HOUSES   FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES 


19 


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20  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

No  window  is  necessary  in  the  cold  room  but  an  electric  light 
is  useful.  To  prevent  refrigeration  losses,  all  unnecessary  openings 
should  be  omitted.  One  large  door  into  the  cold  room  is  usually 
sufficient  though  a  small  door  for  passing  bottles  or  cans  of  milk 
out  to  the  loading  platform  is  sometimes  convenient.  The  large  door 
should  be  so  placed  with  reference  to  the  ice  bunker  or  expansion  coils 
that  they  are  against  the  wall  which  is  at  right  angles  to  the  one  con- 
taining the  door  opening.  In  this  position  the  door  interferes  least 
with  the  circulation  currents  in  the  cold  room. 

Special  care  is  necessary  in  the  construction  of  the  doors  to  pre- 
vent them  from  warping  or  binding.  A  poorly  fitting  door  that 
allows  the  outside  air  to  enter  the  cold  room  or  that  opens  or  closes 
with  such  difficulty  as  to  tempt  the  attendant  entering  to  leave  it  ajar 
is  a  constant  source  of  loss.  Usually  it  is  economy  to  purchase  a 
commercial  door  of  good  design. 

Insulation. — There  is  no  known  material  that  will  entirely  prevent 
the  passage  of  heat.  The  most  efficient  heat  insulators  are  those  with 
the  greatest  amount  of  entrapped  air  confined  in  the  smallest  possible 
air  spaces.  Air  transmits  heat  rapidly  when  permitted  to  move  freely 
but  when  confined  in  small  spaces  where  it  must  transmit  heat  by 
conduction  rather  than  by  convection,  it  serves  as  an  excellent 
insulator. 

There  are  other  requisites  for  a  good  insulator,  however,  than 
its  primary  insulating  value.  The  ability  to  retain  its  insulating 
efficiency  indefinite^,  uniformity  of  insulating  value,  resistance  to 
moisture,  structural  strength,  fire  proofing  and  rodent  harboring 
qualities,  space  occupied,  waterproof  surface  for  interior  of  box,  as 
well  as  exterior,  first  cost,  and  cost  of  installing,  upkeep  and  depre- 
ciation are  all  factors  to  consider  in  selecting  the  insulating  material. 

Cold  storage  boxes  are  sometimes  constructed  of  boards  in  com- 
bination with  air  spaces,  but  while  ordinarily  cheap  in  first  cost  this 
type  of  refrigeration  is  not  recommended.  It  does  not  constitute  an 
efficient  insulation  and  the  wooden  construction  sooner  or  later  checks 
or  swells  under  the  trying  moisture  conditions,  and  the  wall  shows 
increased  losses. 

Sawdust  and  planing  mill  shavings  are  perhaps  the  materials  most 
readily  accessible  for  farm  insulating  purposes  in  this  state,  but  they 
are  not  considered  the  best.  It  is  difficult  to  get  a  construction  that 
will  keep  them  dry ;  they  settle  badly  unless  properly  framed  with 
supporting  rails  at  every  two  or  three  feet  of  wall  height ;  they  are 
not  fire  proof;  and  they  furnish  a  harbor  for  rodents.  The  planing 
mill  shavings  are  better  for  insulating  purposes  than  sawdust,  in  that 


ClRO.  286]  MILK   HOUSES  FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES  21 

they  do  not  settle  so  rapidly,  do  not  absorb  moisture  so  readily  as 
sawdust  and,  most  important,  can  usually  be  had  in  a  very  dry  con- 
dition. 

For  large  dairies  or  for  high  class  construction,  one  of  the 
standard  commercial  insulating  materials  is  recommended.  Some  of 
the  commercial  products  that  are  recommended  for  this  type  of 
insulating  are  hair  felt  or  hair  quilt,  flax  fiber,  mineral  wool,  straw 
board,  lith  blocks,  granulated  cork,  arid  sheet  cork.  Any  of  these 
materials  will  prove  satisfactory  in  excluding  heat  from  the  cold 
room,  provided  that  a  sufficient  thickness  of  the  material  is  used 
and  that  the  plan  and  workmanship  of  the  construction  are  good. 
Ordinarily,  three  inches  of  sheet  cork  or  its  equivalent  is  satisfactory. 
In  using  loose  material  between  the  studs,  horizontal  retaining  rails 
should  be  built  at  about  three  foot  spacings  to  prevent  the  weight 
of  the  material  from  packing  it  and  settling  from  the  top.  Water- 
proof paper  should  be  used  on  both  sides  of  the  wall  to  prevent 
moisture  from  entering  the  insulator.  Insulation  blocks  should  fit 
tight  together  and  should  be  cemented  on  the  back  rather  than  at  the 
joints.  A  one-half  inch  thick  Portland  cement  plaster  finish,  applied 
in  two  coats  directly  to  the  face  of  the  insulation  blocks  forms  a  very 
satisfactory  interior  finish. 

Concrete  should  be  used  for  the  floor  of  the  cold  room  and  should 
contain  approximately  one-half  the  amount  of  insulation  used  in  the 
walls.  If  the  wall  insulation  consists  of  blocks,  the  same  material 
may  be  laid  in  the  floor  protected  on  both  surfaces  by  asphalt  poured 
hot.  Blocks  of  hollow  concrete  or  clay  tile  constitute  a  good  floor 
insulating  material  as  well  as  a  good  construction  material  for  the 
walls. 

Intelligent  planning  is  required  to  balance  the  design  of  the  cold 
room  and  insulation  with  the  refrigeration  equipment.  The  advice 
of  a  competent  refrigeration  engineer  should  be  sought  regarding 
the  installation.  Refrigeration  machinery  companies  maintain  engi- 
gineers  to  cooperate  in  properly  installing  their  equipment. 

STERILIZERS 

To  produce  milk  low  in  bacterial  count,  especial  attention  must 
be  given  to  the  sterilization  of  the  milk  containers  and  apparatus. 

For  small  dairies  this  may  be  economically  achieved  by  boiling 
water  and  sunlight,  but  for  larger  dairies  sterilization  with  live  strain 
is  recommended.  Very  satisfactory  galvanized  iron  sterilizers  can  be 
purchased  from  most  of  the  dairy  equipment  supply  houses  in  the 


22 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


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MILK   HOUSES   FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


—A    k— - —  *o A    ■*- 


CIRC.  286]  MILK  HOUSES   FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES  25 

state.  For  installations  demanding  special  shape,  size,  or  other  special 
features,  sterilizers  of  this  material  can  be  made  to  order  at  very 
moderate  prices.  Where  properly  taken  care  of,  galvanized  iron  for 
this  purpose  is  durable  and  satisfactory. 

Permanent  built-in  installations  are  also  coming  into  favor,  and 
when  well  designed  and  constructed  are  more  sanitary  and  eco- 
nomical of  labor.  For  enonomy  of  labor  the  sterilizer  may  be  place  I 
in  the  wall  between  wash  room  and  milk  room  with  a  door  opening 
into  either  or  just  outside  the  washroom  with  a  door  opening  through 
the  wall. 

Reinforced  concrete  is  excellent  for  the  built-in  sterilizer.  Figures 
12  and  13  give  plans  for  a  sterilizer  of  this  material.  The  concrete 
mixture  should  be  1  part  of  cement,  2%  parts  of  sand,  and  4  parts 
of  crushed  rock  just  wet  enough  to  produce  a  workable  mix  and 
tamped  in  place.  All  of  the  concrete  should  be  poured  at  one  time  to 
prevent  juncture  cracks  in  the  completed  walls.  The  reinforcing 
should  be  of  heavy  woven  wire  fencing  placed  1%  inches  from  the 
outside  of  the  walls  and  a  like  distance  from  the  bottom  of  the 
top  slab. 

Bolts  for  the  wooden  slide  ways  and  the  oak  door  jambs  and  the 
steam  and  drain  pipes  should  be  placed  before  pouring.  The  steam 
openings  are  placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  sterilizer  as  shown,  and  the 
drain  line  is  provided  with  a  shut-off  valve.  The  doors  are  con- 
structed of  two  thicknesses  of  1"  X  6"  flooring  with  the  joints  painted 
with  white  lead  and  covered  on  the  inside  with  galvanized  iron.  The 
oak  door  frames  should  be  painted  before  being  placed  in  position, 
and  all  exposed  portions  of  woodwork  should  be  similarly  treated. 

Removable  angle  iron  racks  may  be  placed  on  the  wooden  slide- 
ways  to  carry  the  bottle  containers.  Milking  buckets  and  cans  may 
be  sterilized  in  the  lower  compartment  immediately  above  the  inlet 
pipes. 

MILK    HOUSE    PLANS 

Pictorial  drawings  and  suggested  floor  plans  for  five  sizes  of  milk 
houses  are  given  herewith.  Publications  containing  complete  plans, 
specifications  and  bills  of  material  for  each  individual  size  of  house 
may  be  secured  as  noted  in  the  description.  It  is  not  expected  thai 
any  one  plan  will  entirely  satisfy  the  requirements  of  all  construc- 
tions of  that  size.  It  is  believed,  however,  that  a  study  of  the  plans 
will  enable  a  dairyman  to  build  more  economically  and  bettor. 

The  bill  of  materials  given  in  each  plan  circular  enables  a  pros- 
pective builder  to  determine  the  cost  of  the  materials  before  starting 


26  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

construction.  A  few  directions  and  comments  on  the  construction 
of  each  house  are  given  with  the  drawings  which  should  enable  any 
rancher  who  has  had  some  building  experience  to  construct  the  smaller 
types  without  assistance. 

All  of  the  houses  have  been  designed  of  a  size  sufficiently  large  to 
economically  contain  the  equipment  which  it  is  believed  will  be 
required  to  care  for  the  production  from  the  herd  stated  for  that 
size  house.  However,  commercial  equipment  may  vary  considerably 
in  size  and  shape  so  if  some  of  the  equipment  is  already  at  hand  or 
has  been  decided  upon,  it  would  be  well  to  secure  its  overall  dimen- 
sions and  compare  with  the  space  allotted  to  that  equipment  on  the 
plan  before  commencing  building  operations.  In  purchasing  equip- 
ment after  the  house  is  built  it  would  be  well  to  ascertain  on  the 
plan  the  space  required  for  each  piece  before  purchase  is  made. 

Printed  plans,  specifications  and  bills  of  material  for  any  of  these 
types  of  milk  houses  will  be  supplied  on  application  to  the  Division 
of  Agricultural  Engineering,  University  Farm,  Davis,  California. 
Kequest  should  be  made  for  such  of  the  following  as  is  desired. 


CIRC.  286]  MILK   HOUSES  FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES  27 


MILK   HOUSE    PLANS 


Plan  Series  A — No.  1 — Small  Milk  Houses  for  Cream  Production 
from  Small  Dairy  Herds. 

Plan  Series  A— No.  2— A  6  ft.  X  16  ft.  Milk  House  for  Milk  or 
Cream. 

Plan  Series  A— No.  3— A  10  ft.  X  16  ft.  General  Purpose  Milk 
House. 

Plan  Series  A— No.  4— A  12  ft.  X  18  ft.  Milk  House  for  Medium 
Sized  Dairies. 

Plan  Series  A— No.  5— A  20  ft.  X  32  ft.  Milk  House  for  Large 
Dairies. 


28  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


PLAN  SERIES  A— NO.  1 

SMALL  MILK  HOUSES  TOR  CREAM  PRODUCTION  FROM 
SMALL  DAIRY  HERDS 

For  the  smallest  dairies  a  6  ft.  X  6  ft.  or  an  8  ft.  X  8  ft.  milk 
house  will  serve.  Sufficient  but  not  extensive  working  space  has  been 
provided  in  the  6  ft.  X  6  ft.  house,  which  is  designed  to  care  for  the 
cream  production  from  a  herd  of  ten  to  fifteen  cows. 

The  small  circled  numbers  on  the  plan  refer  to : 

1.  Drain  rack  of  galvanized  iron.  6.  Drain. 

2.  Concrete  cooling  vat.  7.  Sliding  sash. 

3.  Ten-gallon  milk  cans.  8.  Door. 

4.  Table  extending  over  end  of  vat.  9.  Screen  door. 

5.  Cream  separator. 

The  estimated  cost  of  construction  for  this  house  including  built-in 
equipment  is  $75.00. 

For  the  dairyman  desiring  a  larger  floor  area  than  that  shown  in 
the  6  ft.  X  6  ft.  house  and  one  in  which  a  sink  and  sterilizer  may  be 
installed,  an  8  ft.  X  8  ft.  house  is  recommended. 

The  estimated  cost  of  construction  for  the  8  ft.  X  8  ft.  house 
including  built-in  equipment  is  $90.00. 


Circ.  286] 


MILK   HOUSES  FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES 


29 


12  3  4 

Sca/e      m      feet 
Fig.  14.— Perspective  and  floor  plan  of  6  ft.  X  6  ft.  milk  house. 


30  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


PLAN  SERIES  A— NO.  2 
A  6  FT.   X   16  FT.  MILK  HOUSE  FOR  MILK  OR  CREAM 

For  dairies  of  15  to  20  cows,  a  6  ft.  X  16  ft.  milk  house  will  be 
found  a  very  satisfactory  size.  The  plan  of  that  size  shown  here  in 
a  two  room,  shed  roof  type  of  house  for  cream  production.  The 
equipment  may  be  changed  to  care  for  whole  milk.  The  framing  is 
designed  for  vertical  sheathing  of  flooring.  The  house  is  not 
sheathed  inside,  although  the  plan  may  be  readily  modified  for  wooden 
sheating  or  for  plaster. 

The  floor  plan  will  readily  accommodate  equipment  as  shown : 

1.  Wash  sink  and  drain  board  placed       4.  Tubular  cooler  connected  in  water 

before  screened  opening.  line. 

2.  Sterilizer  of  galvanized  iron  with       5.  Table  for  holding  pails  and  equip- 

oil  burner.  ment. 

3.  Concrete  cooling  vat  to  hold  three       6.  Can  drain  rack  of  galvanized  iron 

10-gallon  cans.  pipe  placed  over  the  table. 

But  one  outside  door  is  provided,  and  this  opens  into  the  wash- 
room. This  feature  aids  in  keeping  the  milk  room  free  from  flies. 
Cross  light  and  ventilation  are  provided  in  the  milk  room  by  using 
a  sash  door  to  the  washroom  and  placing  a  double  hung  window  in 
the  front  and  one  in  a  side  wall.  Both  windows  must  be  screened. 
The  door  opening  to  the  wash  room  is  screened,  and  the  entire  front 
of  the  room  above  the  wash  sink  is  open  and  screened. 

The  estimated  cost  of  the  house  as  shown,  exclusive  of  equipment, 
is  $150.00. 


CIRC.  286]  MILK   HOUSES  FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES 


31 


Fig.  15. — Perspective  and  floor  plan  of  6  ft.  X  16  ft.  milk  house. 


32  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


PLAN  SEEIES  A— NO.  3 
A  10  FT.   X   16  FT.  GENERAL  PURPOSE  MILK  HOUSE 

The  third  house  in  this  series  has  been  designed  in  a  10  ft.  X  16  ft. 
size  and  is  estimated  to  be  sufficiently  large  to  care  for  the  production 
from  a  herd  of  approximately  30  to  40  cows. 

As  in  most  of  the  other  plans,  distinct  rooms  are  provided  for  the 
care  of  the  milk  and  for  the  washing  and  sterilizing  processes.  The 
plan  also  provides  for  a  straining  platform  which  becomes  very  desir- 
able for  a  herd  of  this  size. 

Besides  the  floor  plan  as  shown,  the  plan  circular  suggests  three 
optional  arrangements.  All  utilize  the  same  general  construction  and 
size  but  vary  to  accommodate  different  equipment.  In  the  arrange- 
ment shown,  the  milk  room  is  equipped  for  cream  production. 

The  framing  for  the  vertical  siding  of  flooring  and  the  shed  roof 
of  prepared  roofing  as  suggested  in  this  plan  is  economical.  A  more 
elaborate  one,  however,  may  be  used  at  the  option  of  the  dairyman. 

The  erection  cost  of  this  house  will  be  approximately  $300.00. 

The  numbers  on  the  floor  plan  indicate : 

1.  Straining  vat  with  opening  through       6.  Table. 

wall  to  milk  room.  7.  Sterilizer  of  galvanized  iron  with 

2.  Holding  vat.  oil  burner. 

3.  Separator.  8.  Drain  board. 

4.  Can  drain  rack  of  galvanized  iron  9.  Wash  sink. 

pipe. 

5.  Concrete   cooling  vat   to  hold  two 

10-gallon  cans. 


Circ.  286] 


MTLK   HOUSES   FOIt   CALIFORNIA    DAIRIES 


33 


m 

■B 

t>«: 

mm 

J 

■ 

■■ 

7^ 

"II 

i  I 1  J- 


1      Z      3     4-      SO 
Fin-,   n;.-  -Perspective  and  floor  plan  for  10  ft.   X    16  ft.  milk  house. 


34  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


PLAN  SEEIES  A-NO.  4 
A  12  FT.  X  18  FT.  MILK  HOUSE  FOR  MEDIUM  SIZED  DAIRIES 

The  main  dimensions  of  this  milk  house  are  12  ft.  X  18  ft.  which 
include  the  milk  room  and  the  combined  boiler  and  wash  room.  A 
straining  room  and  delivery  shed  are  attached  and  constitute  integral 
parts  of  the  plan.  The  house  is  designed  to  care  for  the  produce  from 
a  herd  of  50  to  90  cows  according  to  the  manner  in  which  the  produce 
is  marketed  and  the  equipment  in  the  house.  Constructed  with  con- 
crete floor  and  3-foot  side  wall  with  the  frame  wall  above  plastered 
inside,  and  a  shingled  gable  roof,  the  cost  of  construction  is  estimated 
as  approximately  $800.00,  exclusive  of  equipment. 

The  numbers  shown  on  the  plan  indicate : 

1.  Straining  room   with   4'  X  4'    con-       8.  Testing  table  with  apparatus  cab- 

crete  platform.  inet  on  wall. 

2.  Tubular  cooler  with  wall  opening       9.  2'  8"  X  6'  8"  O.G.  door  with  screen. 

to  straining  vat.  10.  Sink  and  drain  board. 

3.  Bottler.  11.  Sterilizer. 

4.  Separator.  12.  Boiler. 

5.  Refrigerator    of    3'  4"  X  5'  6"  in-     13.  Fuel  oil  drum. 

side     measurements.       Provided     14.  2'  6"  X  6'  8"  screen  door. 

with  overhead  ice  bunkers.  15.  2'  0"  X  5'  1"  D.H.  windows  with 

6.  2'  8"  X  6'  8"  sliding  door  with  screens. 

screen.  16.  2'  6"  X  5'  1"  D.H.  windows  with 

7.  2'  8"  X  6'  8"  sliding  door  with  screens. 

glass  panel. 


Circ.  286] 


MILK   HOUSES   FOR   CALIFORNIA    DAIRIES 


35 


i J 

Fig.  17. — Perspective  and  floor  plan  of  12  ft.  X  18  ft.  milk  house. 


36  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


PLAN  SERIES  A— NO.  5 
A  20  FT.  X  32  FT.  MILK  HOUSE  FOR  LARGE  DAIRIES 

This  house  has  been  planned,  for  the  dairy  having  a  herd  of  from 
100  to  200  cows.  It  is  20  ft.  X  32  ft.  and  may  be  used  at  the  end 
of  the  milking  barn  (see  standard  University  of  California  Plan  No. 
C-28)  with  a  covered  drive  between  if  desired. 

Several  arrangements  for  this  floor  area  are  given  in  the  plan 
circular.  The  plan  shown  on  the  opposite  page  includes  a  milk  room, 
wash  room,  separate  cold  rooms  for  milk  and  meat,  built-in  sterilizer, 
and  straining  room.  The  perspective  shown  here  is  for  a  floor  plan 
given  in  the  plan  circular. 

The  house  has  a  concrete  floor  and  a  3-foot  side  wall  with  a  wood 
frame  above.  This  is  shown  sheathed  on  the  outside  with  horizontal 
rustic  and  lathed  and  plastered  inside.  A  one-fourth  pitch  shingled 
gable  roof  is  shown.  The  cost  of  the  house  exclusive  of  any  equip- 
ment is  estimated  to  be  approximately  $1500.00. 

The  numbers  shown  on  the  plan  indicate : 

1.  Boiler.  4.  Straining  platform. 

2.  Wash  sink  and  drain  board.  5.  Refrigeration  machinery  and  equip- 

3.  Built-in  sterilizer.  ment. 


Circ.  286] 


MILK   HOUSES   FOR   CALIFORNIA   DAIRIES 


37 


1    £3*367    83    10 
<5co/e    m     Tee/ 


Fig.  18.— Perspective  and  floor  plan  of  20  ft.  X  32  ft,  milk  house. 


STATION  PUBLICATIONS  AVAILABLE  FOR  FREE  DISTRIBUTION 


BULLETINS 
No.  No. 

253.   Irrigation   and   Soil   Conditions  in   the  352. 

Sierra  Nevada  Foothills,  California. 

261.  Melaxuma    of    the    Walnut,     "Juglans  353. 

regia."  354. 

262.  Citrus   Diseases   of   Florida   and   Cuba  357. 

Compared  with  Those  of  California. 

263.  Size  Grades  for  Ripe  Olives. 

268.   Growing  and  Grafting  Olive  Seedlings.  358. 

273.   Preliminary  Report  on  Kearney  Vine- 
yard Experimental  Drain.  359. 

275.  The  Cultivation  of  Belladonna  in  Cali-  361. 

fornia. 

276.  The  Pomegranate.  362. 

277.  Sudan  Grass  363. 

278.  Grain  Sorghums. 

279.  Irrigation  of  Rice  in  California.  364. 

280.  Irrigation  of  Alfalfa  in  the  Sacramento 

Valley.  366. 

283.   The  Olive  Insects  of  California. 

285.  The  Milk  Goat  in  California.  367. 

286.  Commercial  Fertilizers. 

294.   Bean  Culture  in  California.  368. 

304.  A  Study  of  the  Effects  of  Freezes  on 

Citrus   in   California.  369. 

310.   Plum  Pollination.  370. 

312.  Mariout  Barley.  371. 

313.  Pruning  Young  Deciduous  Fruit  Trees. 

319.   Caprifigs  and  Caprification.  372. 

324.  Storage  of  Perishable  Fruit  at  Freezing 

Temperatures.  374. 

325.  Rice  Irrigation  Measurements  and  Ex- 

periments    in      Sacramento     Valley, 
1914-1919.  375. 

328.   Prune  Growing  in  California. 

331.   Phylloxera-Resistant  Stocks.  376. 

334.  Preliminary  Volume  Tables  for  Second- 

Growth  Redwood.  377. 

335.  Cocoanut   Meal    as    a    Feed   for   Dairy  379. 

Cows  and  Other  Livestock.  380. 

339.  The  Relative  Cost  of  Making  Logs  from 

Small  and  Large  Timber.  381. 

340.  Control  of  the  Pocket  Gopher  in  Cali- 

fornia. 382. 

343.  Cheese  Pests  and  Their  Control. 

344.  Cold  Storage  as  an  Aid  to  the  Market-  383. 

ing  of  Plums. 

346.  Almond  Pollination.  384. 

347.  The  Control  of  Red  Spiders  in  Decidu- 

ous Orchards. 

348.  Pruning  Young  Olive  Trees.  385. 

349.  A    Study    of     Sidedraft    and    Tractor  386. 

Hitches. 

350.  Agriculture  in  Cut-over  Redwood  Lands.  387. 


Further  Experiments  in  Plum  Pollina- 
tion. 

Bovine  Infectious  Abortion. 

Results  of  Rice  Experiments  in   1922. 

A  Self-mixing  Dusting  Machine  for 
Applying  Dry  Insecticides  and 
Fungicides. 

Black  Measles,  Water  Berries,  and 
Related  Vine  Troubles. 

Fruit  Beverage  Investigations. 

Preliminary  Yield  Tables  for  Second 
Growth  Redwood. 

Dust  and  the  Tractor  Engine. 

The  Pruning  of  Citrus  Trees  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

Fungicidal  Dusts  for  the  Control  of 
Bunt. 

Turkish  Tobacco  Culture,  Curing  and 
Marketing. 

Methods  of  Harvesting  and  Irrigation 
in  Relation  to  Mouldy  Walnuts. 

Bacterial  Decomposition  of  Olives  dur- 
ing Pickling. 

Comparison  of  Woods  for  Butter  Boxes. 

Browning  of  Yellow  Newtown  Apples. 

The  Relative  Cost  of  Yarding  Small 
and  Large  Timber. 

The  Cost  of  Producing  Market  Milk  and 
Butterfat  on  246  California  Dairies. 

A  Survey  of  Orchard  Practices  in  the 
Citrus  Industry  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia. 

Results  of  Rice  Experiments  at  Cor- 
tena,    1923. 

Sun-Drying  and  Dehydration  of  Wal- 
nuts. 

The  Cold  Storage  of  Pears. 

Walnut  Culture  in  California. 

Growth  of  Eucalyptus  in  California 
Plantations. 

Growing  and  Handling  Asparagus 
Crowns. 

Pumping  for  Drainage  in  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley,   California. 

Monilia  Blossom  Blight  (Brown  Rot) 
of  Apricot. 

A  Study  of  the  Relative  Values  of  Cer- 
tain Succulent  Feeds  and  Alfalfa  Meal 
as  Sourses  of  Vitamin  A  for  Poultry. 

Pollination  of  the  Sweet  Cherry. 

Pruning  Bearing  Deciduous  Fruit 
Trees. 

Fig  Smut. 


No. 

87.  Alfalfa. 
113.   Correspondence  Courses  in  Agriculture. 
117.  The    Selection    and    Cost    of    a    Small 

Pumping  Plant. 
127.   House  Fumigation. 
129.  The  Control  of  Citrus  Insects. 
136.  Itelilotus    indica    as    a    Green-Manure 

Crop  for  California. 
144.   Oidium  or  Powdery  Mildew  of  the  Vine. 

151.  Feeding  and  Management  of  Hogs. 

152.  Some  Observations  on  the  Bulk  Hand 

ling  of  Grain   in   California. 
154.   Irrigation   Practice   in   Growing   Small 
Fruit  in  California. 


CIRCULARS 
No. 


155.   Bovine  Tuberculosis. 
157.   Control  of  the  Pear  Scab. 

160.  Lettuce  Growing  in  California. 

161.  Potatoes  in  California. 

164.  Small  Fruit  Culture  in  California. 

165.  Fundamentals   of   Sugar    Beet   Culture 

under  California  Conditions. 

166.  The  County  Farm  Bureau. 

167.  Feeding  Stuffs  of  Minor  Importance. 
170.   Fertilizing  California  Soils  for  the  1918 

Crop. 
173.   The    Construction    of    the    Wood-Hoop 

Silo. 
178.   The  Packing  of  Apples  in  California. 


CIRCULARS — {Continued) 


No. 
179. 

184. 
190. 
199. 
202. 

203. 
208. 

209. 
210. 
212. 
214. 

215. 
217. 

220. 
228. 
231. 
232. 

233. 
234. 

235. 

236. 


237. 

238. 
239. 

240. 

241. 

243. 

244. 
245. 
247. 
248. 

249. 
250. 


Factors    of    Importance    in    Producing 

Milk  of  Low  Bacterial  Count. 
A  Flock  of  Sheep  on  the  Farm. 
Agriculture  Clubs  in  California. 
Onion  Growing  in  California. 
County   Organizations   for   Rural   Fire 

Control. 
Peat  as  a  Manure  Substitute. 
Summary  of  the  Annual  Reports  of  the 

Farm  Advisors  of  California. 
The  Function  of  the  Farm  Bureau. 
Suggestions  to  the  Settler  in  California. 
Salvaging  Rain-Damaged  Prunes. 
Seed  Treatment  for  the  Prevention  of 

Cereal  Smuts. 
Feeding  Dairy  Cows  in  California. 
Methods   for  Marketing  Vegetables   in 

California. 
Unfermented  Fruit  Juices. 
Vineyard  Irrigation   in  Arid  Climates. 
The  Home  Vineyard. 
Harvesting    and    Handling    California 

Cherries  for  Eastern   Shipment. 
Artificial  Incubation. 
Winter  Injury  to  Young  Walnut  Trees 

during  1921-22. 
Soil  Analysis  and  Soil  and  Plant  Inter- 
relations. 

The  Common  Hawks  and  Owls  of  Cali- 
fornia   from   the    Standpoint   of   the 

Rancher. 
Directions  for  the  Tanning  and  Dress- 

of  Furs. 
The  Apricot  in  California. 
Harvesting  and  Handling  Apricots  and 

Plums  for  Eastern  Shipment. 
Harvesting    and    Handling    Pears    for 

Eastern   Shipment. 
Harvesting  and  Handling  Peaches  for 

Eastern  Shipment. 
Marmalade  Juice  and  Jelly  Juice  from 

Citrus  Fruits. 
Central  Wire  Bracing  for  Fruit  Trees. 
Vine  Pruning  Systems. 
Colonization  and  Rural  Development. 
Some  Common  Errors  in  Vine  Pruning 

and  Their  Remedies. 
Replacing  Missing  Vines. 
Measurement  of   Irrigation   Water   on 

the  Farm. 


No. 

251.  Recommendations  Concerning  the  Com- 

mon    Diseases     and     Parasites     of 
Poultry  in  California. 

252.  Supports  for  Vines. 

253.  Vineyard  Plans. 

254.  The  Use  of  Artificial  Light  to  Increase 

Winter  Egg  Production. 

255.  Leguminous  Plants  as  Organic  Fertil- 

izer in  California  Agriculture. 

256.  The  Control  of  Wild  Morning  Glory. 

257.  The  Small-Seeded  Horse  Bean. 

258.  Thinning  Deciduous  Fruits. 

259.  Pear  By-products. 

260.  A  Selected  List  of  References  Relating 

to  Irrigation  in  California. 

261.  Sewing  Grain  Sacks. 

262.  Cabbage  Growing  in  California. 

263.  Tomato  Production  in  California. 

264.  Preliminary  Essentials  to  Bovine  Tuber- 

culosis Control. 

265.  Plant  Disease  and  Pest  Control. 

266.  Analyzing  the  Citrus  Orchard  by  Means 

of  Simple  Tree  Records. 

267.  The  Tendency  of  Tractors  to  Rise  in 

Front;  Causes  and  Remedies. 

268.  Inexpensive  Lavor-saving  Poultry  Ap- 

pliances. 

269.  An  Orchard  Brush  Burner. 

270.  A  Farm  Septic  Tank. 

271.  Brooding  Chicks  Artificially. 

272.  California  Farm  Tenancy  and  Methods 

of  Leasing. 

273.  Saving  the  Gophered  Citrus  Tree. 

275.  Marketable        California        Decorative 

Greens. 

276.  Home  Canning. 

277.  Head,   Cane,   and  Cordon   Pruning  of 

Vines. 

278.  Olive  Pickling  in  Mediterranean  Coun- 

tries. 

279.  The  Preparation  and  Refining  of  Olive 

Oil  in  Southern  Europe. 

281.  The  Results  of  a  Survey  to  Determine 

the  Cost  of  Producing  Beef  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

282.  Prevention  of  Insect  Attack  on  Stored 

Grain. 

283.  Fertilizing  Citrus  Trees  in  California. 

284.  The  Almond  in  California. 


The  publications  listed  above  may  be  had  by  addressing 

College  of  Agriculture, 

University  of  California, 

Berkeley,  California. 


V2»i  6, '25 


